Comparing Car Insurance: How To Save Hundreds on Auto Insurance

How Comparing Car Insurance Rates Can Save You A Bundle

Many people really don’t know how to compare the car insurance quotes they get to make sure they get the coverage they really need at the lowest prices, but when you do, you can save yourself tons of money.

The search for auto insurance can sometimes be frustrating; even when you go online, you may find that you’re in a situation that forces you to spend much longer than you anticipated seeking the best rates available. Depending on where you look, you’ll likely wind up with different quotes, different rates and different types of coverage to look at but what does it all really mean?

There are some factors that you should seriously consider when you’re looking for auto insurance so that you can make the most effective quote comparison possible. This way, you’ll be able to get the best coverage for the lowest prices possible.

Compare the Different Auto Insurance Companies

One thing that you should take a good look at before you even request a quote from any insurance company is the company itself. In other words, how is their claims service? Will your rates jump if you have a little fender bender? Consider checking out J.D. Power’s listing of auto insurance providers before you select a company to insure you.

You might also want to talk to your friends and family to find out what type of coverage they have and how much its costing them. You can then choose to get quotes from the companies that come highly recommended.

Try to choose a company that has a good response time should you need their services. It might also be a good idea to look for a company who offers a type of “accident forgiveness” program or incentives for not having a claim. It’s also important to choose a company who has decent rates and coverage options for you to choose from.

What is the Premium on the Auto Insurance?

Another thing you’re going to look at is the overall premiums that you will pay for the coverage you seek. You need to keep this in mind, as it’s used in budgeting and you don’t want to be paying for coverage that you really cannot afford.

Compare the Car Coverage that is Being Offered

When you’re looking at car insurance comparisons, you should really take the to consider the coverage being offered. Most companies will start with your state’s required amounts of insurance and go from there. You should choose quotes based on how much coverage you feel that you need. For instance, do you have lots of assets? If so, or if you drive a very expensive car, you’re going to want to make sure that you have more coverage than the average driver. This might also be the case if you have a teen driving your car.

Keep in mind that when it comes to your libility and collision limits, the more coverage you have, the more it will likely cost you, but it could save you in the long run so don’t scrimp on your coverage amounts if you don’t have to.

Consider the age of your vehicle when you’re seeking insurance quotes. If your car is 10 years old and paid for, it might not be very well worth it for you to carry full coverage on your vehicle. In fact, in some cases the cost of the additional coverage might wind up costing more than your car is worth in just one year, so it might not be worth it for you to carry the additional coverage. However, if you have a new vehicle, or one that is currently financed then you will be required to carry full coverage so that if something should happen, your lender won’t be left out in the cold.

In addition to your coverage basics, you should also take a look at the “optionals”, which will be reflected in your quotes. For instance, roadside assistance and car rental options might cost you more, but could be very well worth it should you have a use for them. Depending on your needs, you might find that these are services that become essential.

Compare your Car Deductible

One factor that can really affect your overall insurance premiums is your deductible, but if you don’t tend to have very much cash on hand for emergencies it might be worth it to pay a little bit more in your premiums. Keep in mind that a $0 deductible could wind up costing you an extra $1000 a year. So, you should be careful to consider how much you really need to have that low deductible, especially if you’re pinching pennies at the moment.

In the end, when you’re making car insurance comparisons, you will probably have to take factors such as your budget, coverage needs and quality of the insurer into consideration before you can make a good, educated choice.